Colerya
by KuroiCho
Summary: CATS fanfiction my very first CATS fic. Mistoffelees founds a mysterious queen sleeping in his pipe. She becomes part of the tribe, but somehow they still don't get to know her. a.k.a notgoodatsummaries
1. Meeting a new face

Genre: General, no actual drama or comedy. Nor romance. Just general.

Rating: G-PG (not good at this stuff)

A/N: My very first CATS fic. Also published in Jellicle Moon Forum. There may be

some misspellings in it as English isn't my mother tongue. R&R! (that _does _mean

"Read and Review"? Else I'm screwed.)

X/X

It was dark. And rainy. Typical autumn late night. No sensible creature would be outside at this weather. Unfortunately, this thin, black figure strolling on the streets had no choice.

Her fur was soaked and dripping of water. Her paws were numb from walking and her stomach was aching for the lack of food. She couldn't remember when she had last eaten something. Her tail was limp because of the bite she had got from an angry bulldog last night. It would heal in time.

She heard noise from farther off the street. _Must be another group of drunken men_, she thought, _I'm not keen on kicks to my ribs, I should probably slip away from here. _She stepped to the side of the sidewalk and disappeared into the shadows.

X/X

_It should be impossible to rain like this_, she thought while looking for a shelter from the rain. Though it probably wouldn't make any difference, she couldn't get any more wet.

She stumbled over a junkyard, trying not to step on sharp things. It was raining so heavily it was hard to see anything. She tried to focus her look to an object some way away. A round black form.. _Could it be.. _She forced her paws move forth. As she moved closer she could see it clearer. A pipe. _Thanks for the Heavens_, she thought and slipped into the pipe.

She walked all way to the end of the pipe and then curled up to a ball trying to warm up herself. Before she even realised, her eyes had closed and she was asleep.

X/X

Unaware of the stranger sleeping in the end of his pipe, a black and white Jellicle entered his small den. He had just been playing in the junkyard with other Jellicles when it had started to rain. They had ran to the nearest shelter but when the rain just continued, he decided to leave to his pipe. He was getting hungry.

He glanced at the rain as though he could stop it by just glaring at it. When nothing happened, he concentrated a moment and then conjured a mouse out of nowhere. He started to eat it slowly, his thoughts at something else. As he looked quickly around in his den he noticed there was something different. Like there would suddenly be more shadows in the end of the pipe. He screwed up his eyes a bit and then he noticed that the shadows started to have a form. A feline form, in fact. He dropped the mouse and gasped slightly as he fully noted the soaked figure curled up in the back of the pipe. He gathered his courage and started to approach the cat.

X/X

The sleeping black cat in the pipe was having a very familiar-like dream.

_"Mum, where's dad..I'm hungry.." a small black kitten almost whispered to a black-red queen, apparently her mother._

_"Hush.. don't worry. Daddy will be right back. Just sleep, dear."_

_"I'm hungry."_

_"Nothing to worry about."_

The tom cat bend over the stranger to take a closer look.

_"Where are we going, Mum?"_

_The queen didn't answer because she was carrying her child by the kitten's neck. The road was dangerous. She looked at both directions and stepped on the road._

_"Mum? Where are we going? Where's daddy?"_

_/ That's what I'd like to know,too. / the queen thought bitterly._

_"Mummy?"_

_Almost there.. paw after paw on the road.._

_Then suddenly a loud drone, way too close, and two bright lights. The queen turned her head, dropped the kitten from her mouth._

The tom gently placed his paw at the stranger's shoulder.

_"Colerya! Watch o- " her sentence was ended by a loud thud and a disgusting crack._

_The kitten, Colerya, was covering on the ground, shivering, her eyes squeezed shut. She felt a current of air wipe over her._

_..Brakes screaming.. car doors slammed.._

_Colerya slowly opened her eyes. She turned her head. She gasped in horror and gave a soft meow._

_There was a long line of bright red blood from next to her to the car._

_Colerya felt her eyes water._

_"Mummy..?"_

The tom cat slightly shook the black cat. He didn't want to scare her (as he had now noticed the stranger was a queen). Although he seemed to fail miserably, as the queen woke up violently, gasping loud. There was a silence, maybe for a heartbeat, then the queen realised there was someone next to her.

X/X

A cat. A _tom _cat.

She hissed loudly and shook the tom's paw off from her shoulder. She arched her back and took a few steps backwards. Then she realised something.

_Oh no! I'm trapped! He's blocking the only way out of here. Oh no.. _She looked more closely at the cat before her. _He doesn't look menacing. He's actually quite small, maybe just a kitten. _Then, she thought this, _Maybe he doesn't want to hurt me at all._

Sticking to this thought she asked quietly:

"Who are you?"

The tom cat seemed still a slightly suprised. After a moment he responded:

"Well, I could ask the same from you. But when you asked first, my name is Mistoffelees or Quaxo, you may choose which one you like better. And you?"

The black queen breathed heavily and then responded in an insecure voice:

"Colerya"

The tom nodded, not inquiring anything more. After a moment he yet asked:

"Why are you here?"

X/X

Mistoffelees surveyed the queen with his look. Weird eyes, green eyes were quite common among cats, so were black, but together.. no. Gosh, she has been through a lot. He wondered when she had last eaten anything. He waited for her answer. After a long silence, she spoke:

"I was walking on the streets looking for food. It started to rain and I tried to look for a shelter. However I didn't find any early enough which is why I'm now completely soaked. I strolled to the junkyard and found this pipe and thought it would be a good shelter. I didn't know anyone already lived here. It was empty." The last sentence was said in a charged tone. Misto made a soothing gesture.

"I'm not blaming you from anything. I'm not angry", he said in a calm voice. The queen seemed to be suprisingly hostile. When she didn't response to this in any way, he continued:

"If you want, you can stay over night. I wouldn't like anyone cat to be wandering on the streets at this kind of weather."

The queen remained silent. However, she nodded almost imperceptibly and curled up to a ball. Mistoffelees watched her a moment and said then:

"You're soaked. Are you sure you're okay? Do you wan't to dry yourself or something?"

When he didn't get any answer, he too curled up and tried to calm down and sleep. _Weird queen, indeed. If she's still here in the morning I might introduce her to Munku. Say, what was her name? Colerya? Colerya.._

_X/X_

in the morning

Colerya woke up slowly. She felt a bit damp. She shaked her fur trying to dry herself. She glanced around the pipe and spotted the tom cat. _Did he tell his name? Ah, yes he did.. only what was it. Something like.. Mifflee..Mistole- Mistoffelees! That's it. Maybe I should wake him up. _She streched up her head a bit. The sun had risen.

She stepped next to Mistoffelees. And watched him a moment. _He looks like a kitten, but he seems to be quite mature. _She streched her paw and moved it unsteadily closer to him. She ended up poking him on his shoulder. He squirmed a bit and continued dreaming. _Damn! Wake up! _She poked him again. He still didn't wake up.

"Err.. Mistoffelees? Wake up?" she tried to say. No effect. She let out a low meow and pushed him with her both paws. He rolled over and woke up in suprise. He raised his head and shot a questioning look at Colerya. She felt little uneasy.

"You didn't wake up."

The black and white tom got up and stretched himself a bit. After a broad yawn he turned to look at Colerya.

"You okay?" he asked. Colerya nodded. _Oh damn I'm hungry.. _And without any warning, her stomach let out a loud growl. _Oh damn.. _The tom cat looked at her, was it sympathy?

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Yeah.." she answered, "Really hungry."

Mistoffelees glanced at the ground like he would be embarrassed. Then he looked up again and asked:

"Would you mind to turn around for just a second?"

Colerya felt her insides grow cold. _Turn around? Why? Is he going to..? I thought he was a good guy!_

Colerya asked in a shaking voice: "Why?"

He considered a moment.

"I just have a..secret.. I wish not to spread out to strangers. So please?"

X/X

Mistoffelees watched her to turn around, then quickly conjured a mouse in his paws.

"You can turn around."

The queen turned and Misto handed the mouse to her. She looked him in amazement.

"How did you do that?" Misto smiled.

"Secret."

Colerya took the mouse, thanked quietly, and started to eat it. Actually it was hard to realize when she had started to eat it, because after few seconds she had already eaten it. She wiped her mouth a bit and then asked:

"Could I have another one?"

X/X

When Colerya finished her eighth mouse, she didn't feel that hungry anymore. She sat down and tried to have a look at her tail. The bite wasnt really big, and it disappeared easily beneath her fur. She tried to touch it and felt a wave of sharp pain going through her. _Right, so I just have to prevent anyone to touch it._

Mistoffelees was looking outside. He was sitting right in front of the pipe, watching the sun. _It will be a nice day_, he thought. Then he suddenly spotted some movement in the yard. Munkustrap!

"Oi! Munku!" he yelled. The silver tabby turned his head. Mistoffelees said to Colerya:

"Colerya? Come on, I need to introduce you to someone." And he stepped forward, letting Colerya come out. They walked to Munku who watched both cat in curious suprise.

"So, Munku, I thought I should introduce you to her. This is Colerya, I met her yesterday. Colerya, This is Munkustrap". Colerya let out a quiet "Hello".

X/X

After Colerya had again explained _why _she was in here, what had happened and answered to a bunch of questions, the silver cat, _Munkustrap? A really weird name_, nodded and gave her a smile which Colerya didn't believe to be real, and said:

"All right, welcome. I'm sure you will get along with other Jellicles."

Munkustrap looked over Colerya's and Mistoffelees' shoulders. He raised he's hand and gave a small wave.

"Hello, Victoria. We have a new Jellicle."

Colerya turned around and was greeted by a smiling, amazingly pure white queen. She nodded to Colerya and said:

"Hi, my name is Victoria, what's your's?"

"Colerya"

White queen called Victoria opened her mouth to say something, but she was cut by a heavily accented voice what came behind Colerya.

"'Oi, Strappy! Who's 'tis?"

"Yeah! Oi've never seen her 'ere before."

_A male and a female_, Colerya thought and spinned around again and found herself staring at two identical orange cats, both grinning broadly. Without having even a change to say anything, they started speaking again.

"Whoa! Ya _are _new!"

"'Wat's yar name?"

"Wicked eyes, man!"

Colerya felt a bit stunned. She decided to try to speak.

"Um.. I'm.. I'm Colerya."

A new flow of speaking.

"_Colerya! _Well 'tat's a wicked name, ain't sis?"

"It'is. So why're ya here?"

_Please, shut up._

"I was looking for a shelter from rain."

"Yea? Well it was a quita rain last night, wasn't it bro?"

"I' was! I swear I got completely soaked! Bloody hellova wet'her that was."

Munkustrap probably noticed Colerya's _get-me-out-of-here_ look, because he cut the twin's as they intended to continue babbling on.

"And these are Mungojerrie", the taller orange tom cat grinned, "and Rumpleteazer", the shorter female flashed a identical grin.

"I hope you'll get along well."

Colerya tried to smile. She wasn't sure if she succeeded, but she still said:

"I hope that, too."


	2. The Jellicles and the Arrogant

After some time, Colerya had been introduced to about a zillion cat. _There sure are lots of Jellicles in here_, she thought. And, after the first shock, she had realized Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were actually quite nice folks. They mentioned their reputation as the "Notorious couple" and Colerya politely kept her face blank (_They boast around with that? They should hear how I got my food in the street_). They continued chatting around a card game. Their storytelling was occasionally interrupted by shouts like "Tha' was so cheating!", "Eat t'at!" and "Don't ya grin to me like t'at!". Colerya herself remained quiet. She preferred listening more than talking.

Then suddenly she heard several queen start to scream. Not in a horrified way, more like the way they had lost their brain completely. Rumpleteazer interrupted her dispute with Mungojerrie and glanced somewhere behind Colerya. Then she gave a short squeak and bounced off the old car they were playing on. Colerya stared after her and turned to ask Mungojerrie:

"What's her problem?"

Mungojerrie grunted and nodded to the direction Rumpleteazer had ran.

"Rum Tum Tugger."

"Who?"

"Rum Tum Tugger. Ya haven't met 'im already?"

Colerya shook her head.

"Well, 'es about just behing ya, just turn 'round."

Colerya turned around and saw a tall, black and kinda leopard patterned cat standing right in the middle of the junkyard, surrounded by queens. The tom cat seemed to enjoy their attention. Colerya snorted and turned back to Mungojerrie.

"I guess we have to continue playing without Rumpleteazer. Your turn."

Mungojerrie stared the spot just behind Colerya. She raised her eyebrows.

"Hello? I said it's your-"

"Well, well. Who's this? I don't think I have had the honour to meet this young queen before", said a low voice behind her. Colerya froze and then turned around and saw the tall tom standing just behind her. _Does he think that grin makes him look sexy? He looks more like an out-patient._

"Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Rum Tum Tugger. And who are you?"

Colerya didn't answer. She stared at the arrogant tom like she would like to strike him down with a lightning. No, insted of answering, Mungojerrie said:

"Oh, she? She's Colerya, wicked name or wha'?"

"Colerya?" Rum Tum Tugger asked. _From now on I hate my name_, Colerya thought. The stupid Tugger just continued staring at her in the most disgusting way.

"Come on, baby. Say something. I'm known as the Curious cat."

Baby! Colerya took a deep breath and said in a calm, almost monotonous voice:

"Curiosity killed the cat."

_Whoa. Big silence._ After some time she broke it by saying to Mungojerrie:

"Sorry, Jerrie. I think we need to finish this game sometime later."

When she was about to leave she heard a sneering voice behind her:

"Oh, Tugger-honey don't care about her. Anyway, she's_ Misto's_ cat."

Colerya froze between her step. She turned her head and saw a dirty white queen with brown and black stripes squeezed on Tugger's other side. _Etcetera, I never liked her._ Colerya opened her mouth and said in a voice that could freeze water:

"Excuse me, _what?_"

Etcetera quivered a bit and stepped a little closer to Tugger.

"You know! All that when he found you in his pipe and all. Heavyside know's what you might have done in there!"

Silence. A _big_ silence. Colerya couldn't tell was she more angry or embarassed. She noticed now that Mistoffelees was there too. He was sitting in the shadows, curled up to a ball and trying to hide his face. _Poor fella. I know I can take this, but I wouldn't be that sure about him._ Colerya turned to face Etcetera.

"_I - am - no - one's - cat._ You got that?" Etcetera didn't say anything. She looked allthrough horrified. Colerya slipped off the car and sprinted away from the yard.

X/X

Mistoffelees was sitting in the shadows. He was quite okay when Rum Tum Tugger tested his attraction to Colerya but when Etcetera opened her mouth he felt his face grow burning hot. _That's not true! We didn't.. do.. anything. _But he couldn't do anything to what was happening, he just listened when Colerya coolly answered to Etcetera. He was hoping Etcetera wouldn't attack on him next.

Well, now she is gone, Colerya he meant. Tugger was still grinning though his grin seemed to be falling apart at any second. He turned back to his queens and let them comfort him. Then he suddenly turned to Mistoffelees.

"Whoa. We'll she's a fierce one. Was she as angry when you found her, Misto?"

_So he just couldn't shut his mouth?_

"Well... kinda. She looked like she would scrape my eyes out."

Etcetera laughed. _This can't be good_, Mistoffelees thought.

"For what? Did you do something to her? I wouldn't be so suprised, I knew even you, Misto, had a wild side.."

Mistoffelees sprinted away his face burning.

X/X

_Oh God, I could kill them both_, Colerya thought, meaning Tugger and Etcetera. _I just wonder where the heck did she come up with that? She perfectly well knows that I have no interest in any tom in junkyard, especially - not - Mistoffelees!_ She hit an empty lemonade bottle with her paw, trying to take out her anger by maltreating the poor bottle. It didn't help. Colerya stopped walking and sat down. She put her head down on her paws. _Why did them had to attack me on my first day? Isn't that a bit harsh?_ She spotted a mouse from a short way away. She jumped on it and focused her anger on it. When she after a moment looked down on the dead mouse, she realized she wan't even hungry. She felt a little bad for the mouse and ran away from the place.

After running for some time, Colerya found herself in a little square, where she could see the sky. Sun was still up, shining as bright as always.

X/X

Mistoffelees couldn't help his face to stop burning. He was absolutely, completely, totally embarassed. _And even in the front of everyone! Why she (and he, Tugger is as guilty to this as Etcetera) couldn't just be quiet?_ He sat a moment still cursing them both. _I hope Colerya is okay. They were quite mean to her._

X/X

Colerya didn't know how long she had been away from the junkyard. She didn't care. It was nice to get away from everyone, to clear her thoughts. She just laid there, maybe fell asleep absently, thinking. She woke up and saw the sun was about to set. She sat up to watch the glorious shades of the sky. When even the last scarlet red stripes had disappeared and dark started to land, she took off and started to wander back to junkyard. _I hope I won't get lost_, she thought, _Wouldn't be the first time_.

Eventually she found her way back and climbed on top of the junk piles. _Maybe moon will rise soon._ She sat on a separated wooden table top to wait. The moon was only a thin sickle but it was still beautiful. As she watched it to rise higher on the sky, she found herself getting tired. She looked around for something proper place to sleep. She tapped her claws on the wood beneath her. It gave a hollow knock. Colerya slipped off the table top and looked more carefully the place she was sitting. The table top was resting on an old tyre. She tried to push the wood aside. There was an empty space under it, just suitable for one cat. Colerya slipped inside the tyre and pulled the wood over her like a celiling. Now she had a nice place to sleep and to shelter from rain. She closed her eyes, yawned broadly and fell asleep.

X/X

The morning came to junkyard. Mistoffelees crawled from his pipe and went to search some breakfast. When he came back, he found Colerya sitting with Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, and -to his suprise- Munkustrap. They seemed to be in a deep conversation. _I hope she didn't get any troubles because of what happened yesterday. It certainly wasn't her fault._ He walked to them and greeted them and sat down next to Mungojerrie. Munkustrap nodded to him and then continued his talking to Colerya:

"And I really hope you didn't get any wrong image of us. I talked to Etcetera later and I think she got my meaning. I know Tugger can sometimes be a bit.."

"Arrogant", Colerya completed his sentence. _So it was about yesterday_, Mistoffelees thought. Munkustrap frowned his eyebrows a bit.

"Well, not exactly the word I was looking for, but it'll do." Colerya nodded and swallowed the end of her mouse.

"I'm okay. I'm not going to rip their heads off or something."

Munkustrap nodded thoughtfully. Then he got up.

"Well, I'll get going. Nice day to everyone." And so he took off.

Colerya looked at Mistoffelees. He could read her eyes saying _"Are you okay?"_ Mistoffelees nodded slightly to her.

X/X

Colerya didn't understand what Munkustrap was worrying about. She could take care of herself, hadn't he noticed it already yesterday? She turned to the other three cat sitting with her:

"So, have you got any plans for today?" Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer shook their heads.

"Nah, Oi fink we'll 'eave 'tose fellas in Victolia Gbove 'lone today." Rumpleteazer said her mouth full. Colerya smiled and shook her head slightly. _Table manners, oh well._ She turned to Mistoffelees.

"What about you?" The tuxedo cat shook his head.

"No, I.. Well I don't usually have anything special plans." Mungojerrie raised his attention from his mouse.

"Hey, Misto! Would ya do some magic stuff? Ya haven't done anything in a 'while."

Colerya looked suprised at Mistoffelees.

"Magic stuff? Can you do magic, Mistoffelees?"

Mistoffelees felt his face grow hot again. _I knew I should have told her earlier._

"Umm.. yeah. A bit."

"A bit? 'E conjured Old D back to us in 'the last Jellicle Ball!"

Colerya watched the small tom with some unrealized respect.

"You did? Well, I never.." This made the notorious couple to burst out laughing as they remembered Rum Tum Tugger's song about Mistoffelees. Mungojerrie sang slightly out of tune:

"Oh! Well, I never. Was there ever a cat so clever as magical Mr. Mistoffelees.."

Colerya smiled widely and chuckled a bit:

"They made a song about you?"

Mistoffelees looked like he was wishing the earth could swallow him.

"Well..it was Tugger idea and.. I don't know.." The poor tom seemed completely embarassed. Colerya smiled and asked Mungojerrie stop singing. She turned again to Mistoffelees and said:

"There's nothing to be ashamed of. It must had been really impressing."

The tuxedo tom finally raised his look from the ground and said:

"Yeah. I.. I think it was."

They spent a moment in silence. Then Rumpleteazer poked her brother on his side and asked:

"Hey, 'Jerrie! When's the next Jellicle Moon coming?"

Mungojerrie thought a moment.

"'Bout two months Oi'd guess."

They both turned to look at Colerya. _Uh-oh, I hope it's not anything bad.._

"Are ya going to sing somethin' in the Ball? Oi mean, ya are new", Rumpleteazer asked. Colerya lowered her eyes a bit.

"No.. I don't think so. I'm not fond of singing."

"You could get someone else to sing about you! Like to Misto!"

"Shut up, Jerrie. I didn't ask Tugger to sing anything", Mistoffelees said a bit annoyed.

"Olright, if ya're not goin' to sing, what about a dance? Can ya dance?"

Colerya didn't raise her eyes.

"Uh, not really." Rumpleteazer's face brightened like she has just had an idea. _Oh no, she's having one of her ideas_, Colerya thought.

"Oi have a' idea!" Rumpleteazer shouted. _I knew it._

"Why don't ya, Misto, teach her? Ya're an awesome dancer!"

Mistoffelees felt his face heating up immediately. _Me teaching her? No way._

"I don't know if it's so good idea", he said but the twins let out a huge protest.

"Aw, come on! She's gotta do somethin'! Everyone has made sumthin' in the Ball when they'd been new!"

"Yeah, Misto! Give 'er a shot! She'll be the best dancing queen in 'ere!"

Misto tried to think ways to get out of this. He looked at Colerya, who had her face half covered with her hands and who was looking at Misto, then at the twins and again at Misto. _Ah, I can't say no. She's gotta do something. Maybe she'll learn to dance._ He let out a huge sigh.

"All right. I guess I'll teach her."

The twins cheered together. Colerya looked at Mistoffelees and he couldn't tell what she was thinking.

When Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer got up and disappeared from the junkyard, Colerya shot a questioning look at Mistoffelees.

"So, you're really going to teach me?"

Mistoffelees shrugged his shoulders and nodded. _And what was that supposed to mean_, Colerya thought. Mistoffelees opened his mouth:

"Well.. yes. I think you should perform something in the Jellicle Ball. Can you dance at all, so do we need to start from the beginning?"

Now Colerya shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. I haven't actually ever tried to dance."

Mistoffelees looked thoughtful. Then he said:

"We'll find out tonight. I understood you hadn't got anything special to do?"

Colerya felt a little tired when she met Mistoffelees in a open place, a short way away from the junkyard. She wished her tiredness wouldn't affect her dancing. And she also wished she wouldn't make a complete fool of herself. She arrived to the square and saw Mistoffelees already stretching. He stopped when he noticed Colerya.

"Hello", he said smiling.

"Hello", Colerya replied nervously.

There was a short silence. Colerya felt herself a bit uneasy. Mistoffelees stood there just thinking something. Then he finally said:

"So, come along. I think we should start." Again a short silence.

"Have you stretched yet?"

Colerya shook her head.

"Well I suppose that would be a good way to start."

Mistoffelees bent over his legs and watched the queen do the same. She gave a small grimace as her muscles suddenly tensed. _I can see she hasn't stretched a while. Well, we really need to start from the beginning._

When they were done with the stretching, Mistoffelees asked what kind of dance Colerya had thought to be performing. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I.. don't know. Something ordinary I suppose. Not too slow, though."

Mistoffelees nodded. He tried to think something to begin with.

"Right.. Can you do an axis?" Colerya looked nonplussed.

"Err.. axis? No, I don't think so."

"Well. Let's start with that."

After dancing for Heavyside knows how long, Colerya sat on the ground breathing hard and sweating. Her paws felt like they were burning and her body ached from many spots because she had slipped and fallen all the time. Mistoffelees sat next to her and waited as she caughed her breath. Colerya finally calmed down and stretched herself again at the end. Mistoffelees explained that it was importand to stretch every time before and after dancing.

"So when will we practice again?" he asked. Colerya was silent a moment.

"At least not tomorrow. I need a day off to relax", she said. Mistoffelees nodded.

"Very well, how about the day after tomorrow?" he asked and Colerya nodded. They started to walk towards the junkyard. When they got there, Colerya realized neither of them had said a word.

"So. I'll probably see you tomorrow", Mistoffelees said. Colerya smiled and nodded again.

"Well, good night", Mistoffelees said and slid into his pipe.

"Good night", Colerya whispered ans started to climb onto the junk piles and finally curled up inside her tyre.


	3. The Practice and the Ball

So weeks went by and Colerya and Mistoffelees met regularly at the open place to practice. Once after they had finished for that evening, when there was only two weeks left for the Jellicle Ball, Mistoffelees turned to Colerya and said:

"You have improved all the time. What do you think, should we start to plan your solo dance to the Ball?" Colerya smiled widely and nodded. She enjoyed dancing now when she had learned to control her own body and wasn't falling all the time. She enjoyed the feeling when she managed to do a set of pirouettes perfectly or she jumped in the air and touched her toes with her paws.

"So would you be ready to practice already tomorrow? We must practice frequently so we can finish your dance number in time", Mistoffelees asked. Colerya didn't dare to say no.

_She dances so beautifully_, Mistoffelees thought when they went through Colerya's dance number. The queen had proceeded very well, considering that two months earlier she barely stayed on her feet. Mistoffelees watched as Colerya slowed her pirouettes and stood up at the end. Her dance was done. Mistoffelees started applauding slowly, then more faster until he almost crushed his paws against each other.

"Magnificent!" he shouted as Colerya smiled broadly and bowed slightly.

"Thank you. I feel so happy, I really love dancing!" she said and after a moment of hesitating continued, "Thank you, Mistoffelees. I couldn't be able to do this without you." Mistoffelees raised his paws to reject the compliments.

"Don't just thank me, it was you too who made this." Colerya seemed to glow like someone had just lighted a light bulb inside her.

"It's Jellicle Ball soon", she said, "I can't wait for it!"

Mistoffelees smiled to her.

"Neither I."

Night before Jellicle Ball. Colerya knew she needed to sleep but she was too excited. Tomorrow she would go there and perform her dance to all of them. She would become officially a Jellicle, a Jellicle worthy of consideration. She'd finally have a place in the world. She laid down on her tyre and watched the moon. It was almost full.

_Tomorrow_, she thought.

The morning creeped slowly to the junkyard. When Mistoffelees came out from his pipe he found almost all the cats already up, talking about the upcoming Ball. Jemima was with the other kittens, playing and focusing her excitement to the tag game. Munkustrap was having a conversation with Alfonzo. Mistoffelees would bet they were talking about Macavity. Mistoffelees hoped he would make a excpection this year and not to attack them on the Jellicle Ball. They rarely had an opportunity to celebrate the Ball without his interruptions. _And for Colerya's sake, too. If her dance is being ruined by anyone I'll personally... make them to regret it._ Mistoffelees thought bitterly. Then another idea popped into his head: _Has anyone told Colerya about Macavity?_

Colerya slowly woke up and found out she had finally fallen asleep ontop of her tyre. She stretched long and climbed down to the yard. _My, my.. Everyone's up already?_ She looked around the yard, wondering where should she go when someone tapped her on her shhoulder. She turned around and saw Mistoffelees smiling warmly to her.

"Oh, hello Mistoffelees!" she greeted.

"Hello, Colerya. Would I speak to you for a moment?"

"Sure", Colrya said and followed Mistoffelees to a bit more disclosed location. There he turned to her and said hesitatingly:

"Colerya.. I just thought. Has anyone told you about a cat named Macavity?"

Colerya shook her head:

"No.. Is he one of the Jellicles?" Mistoffelees expression suddenly grew dark.

"No.. he isn't. He is -as a matter of fact- our enemy."

"He has been attacking to our tribe regularly during these years. Almost without excpection he has always attacked on our Jellicle Ball. I needed to warn you. He is very dangerous and would not wish you to get in any danger", Mistoffelees explained watching Colerya's cheery expression fall. He felt bad to ruin her joy, but he would feel even worse if she would get kidnapped by Macavity. He went on:

"We have no any assurance that he's going to attach tonight, but if he does, you need to get safe. If he spots a new queen among us, he'll most surely kidnap her." Mistoffelees looked into Colerya's mismatched eyes.

"I do not wish your first Ball will be ruined by someone like him."

Colerya looked to the ground. Then she sighed and raised her eyes to Mistoffelees'.

"I promise you, I'll keep myself out of trouble. We can still wish he stays away."

Mistoffelees nodded but didn't mean it. He wouldn't think Colerya could protect herself against Macavity, if he decided to take her, he would. Mistoffelees nodded again and then got up.

"Well, that's all I wanted to tell you. I think we should go back to the others."

The night was falling. All the cats slowly creeped to the yard, ready to start the Ball. Colerya was almost trembling with exitement. She was observing the situation above them all, from her tyre. At her time she would land to them and join the dance and singing.

Now it was completely dark.

The clouds drifted away from the front of the moon.

The silvery shine illuminated the yard.

The Jellicle Ball began.

Mistoffelees felt wonderful. He was dancing in the swirling group of cats, they all singing and dancing. He saw a quick glimpse of Colerya dancing, a wide happy smile on her face. Mistoffelees turned his face away and decided to concentrate on his dance. There was still time for her number.

Colerya felt the pressure in her chest grow and grow when the Ball continued. She barely remembered to think about her feet and not falling over. But how she was supposed to be calm? After this dance there was only one left anymore. Only one number to _her dance._ Colerya tried not to think about it too much. She saw the smiling faces around her. _They smiled. To her._ She was so happy. She swirled around as the other did.. and stopped. Her eyes locked up to an object at the yard. Her smile faded..

Because in Colerya's eyes, the old car in junkyard had just turned it's front lights on. They were rolling over her..

_Colerya!_

..her steps hesitated..

_Colerya! Watch out!_

..she took a step backwards..

_..the screaming of the brakes.._

..and the _voice_ of her mother screaming in her ears..

_..and the bright red line.._

..suddenly her legs didn't carry her weight anymore..

_Colerya! Watch o-!_

_Thump!_ Even though Colerya herself couldn't see or realize it, she had collapsed on the ground, unconcious. And everyone around her was screaming..

_Colerya!_

Mistoffelees watched in horror as the queen fell. Everyone ran to her, screaming, crying. Mistoffelees ran, too. _What happened to her?_ he thought. Munkustrap came behind him and waded through the other queens around Colerya. Mistoffelees watched as he tried to wake her up. Then he picked her up and called Jennyanydots to take care of her. Jenny arrived gasping loud and grabbed Colerya's slack from. They hurried away and when they ran past Mistoffelees, he saw there was tears shimmering on Colerya's face.

Colerya was waking up slowly. The screams had gone away, the images in her head had gone away. She opened her eyes and saw Jennyanydots staring down on her. Colerya took a sharp breath and stood up.

"Wha- what happened?"

Jennyanydots looked her with worried eyes.

"You fainted, my dear", she said, "Just in the middle of the dance. Everyone are really shocked. But they are now continuing the Ball. It's Jemima's song going now."

Colerya didn't say anything. _Jemima's song.. so her dance wasn't gone yet!_

She heard steps from behind her. She turned around and saw a very worried Mistoffelees running towards her.

"Colerya!" he shouted in relief, "You're awake! Are you okay? Are you hurt or anything?"

Colerya smiled faintly.

"No, I'm okay. How is it going with the Ball?"

Mistoffelees' face was still worried. He glanced at Jennyanydots before he spoke:

"It's Jemima's song now. Your.. your dance would be next."

"And it will be", Colerya said in defiance. Jennyanydots looked at her suprised:

"You can't go there like nothing had happened! You must stay here! What if-"

Colerya held out her paw.

"It's nothing. I'm okay. I can dance", she looked into Jennyanydots' eyes, "And I want to."

Jenny sighed deep and said, clearly reluctantly:

"Very well, then. You can go." She turned to Mistoffelees:

"But you keep an eye on her! If she collapses again then she'll certainly not go to anywhere before I let her!"

Mistoffelees smiled.

"Of course", and he helped Colerya to stand up.

"Shall we go?"

Colerya was amazed she didn't faint, so nervous she were when she was standing in the middle of the junkyard, all other cats watching her. She gulped, took a deep breath, and raised her arms. First the other Jellicles reactions weren't that big, but when she made her first axes and pirouettes, she heard them gasping out of amazement. She felt a smile starting to spread on her face. And she kept going.

When she raised her arms up again for the ending, they all bursted out applauding. She sighed of relief and turned around to look at them. She bowed once, and twice. She heard someone shouting:

"Way to go Colerya!"

She smiled, she didn't know a cat could feel this happy. And next to them all, was Mistoffelees, applauding and smiling to her.

_I..I can't..believe this. I'm just.. so happy!_

After time, came the next song, and Colerya joined the others again.

When the Ball was over, and Old Deuteronomy has chosen the cat to go to the Heavyside layer (Colerya had the feeling Gus was at least as happy as her), they all gathered together to rejoice. Colerya felt like her heart would pop out from her chest.

And when they finally went to sleep, Colerya fell asleep immediately, a small smile still on her face.

Soon everyone in the junkyard was asleep. That was very big help for a group that silently slid into the yard, group of black figures. They stopped and listened carefully. Then one of the black figures whispered:

"Shall we start, boss?"

"Yes. Yes, we shall", said the tall fire-coloured cat.

Pouncival couldn't sleep. No matter how tired he was, he just rolled over and over his sleeping place. Then he finally got up and decided to find some water to drink. He stepped out of his den and glanced over the junkyard. He spotted the group in the middle of the yard. They were strangers, yet he knew them. _Oh no.. OH NO! What should I.._ He thought a second should he remain quiet or shout out loud. After that, he screamed:

"MACAVITY! MACAVITY'S HERE! WAKE UP! MACAVITY'S HERE!"


	4. The Attack

"MACAVITY'S HERE!" Colerya woke up immediately and sprung up from her cozy sleeping place. She heard loud rustle down from the yard and peeked over the edge of the junkpiles. All the Jellicles were running to the yard, to see what's happening. Colerya noticed Munkustrap standing before everyone else, facing Macavity. Macavity attacked.

Colerya gasped when the ginger cat slashed Munkustrap on the cheek, but he received a slash in return. The two cats glared at each other in a hostile manner and charged again. It continued several seconds. Colerya gasped again when the couple separated from each other, Munkustrap's cheek was now covered with blood. There were also bruises on his body, clearly standing out from his silver fur. Macavity was too injuried, but he didn't look so wounded. Colerya started slowly, silently climb down from the top, keeping an eye on Macavity's hencemen. No one paid attention to the shadow sliding down to the yard.

Mistoffelees was covering in the shadows. He was trying to hide as well as he could. He would be useless in fight, he's was too small, Macavity would knock him out with only one slash. Most of the Jellicles were having a small fights against Macavity's hencemen. Suddenly Mistoffelees heard a soft thump and felt silky fur brush against his just for a second. He looked next to him and realised that Colerya had slid down next to him without making a single sound. She looked at him, then back to Munkustrap and Macavity and whispered:

"I should've know he would attack today. Just after Jellicle Ball when everyone's relieved that he _didn't_ attack on us during the Ball. Just when we're unarmed." Mistoffelees nodded. He was getting worried. Munkustrap's strength seemed to be drain, but Macavity was still not even breathless. He looked down at the injured silver tabby and smirked. Just one slash and Munkustrap collapsed on the ground. Demeter screamed and rushed to pull him aside but then Macavity started to aproach her, an impure grin on his face. He was just about to grab her when Alonzo stepped between them and hit Macavity in the face. Now it was their time to fight.

Colerya watched in horror when Alonzo was thrown aside. Tugger attacked then. _They'll be out of toms soon, Macavity's too strong, he's beating them all!_ After a time, which seemed to be only a mere seconds or several hours to Colerya, Tugger was out of the game too. Tumblebrutus. _What the heck are we going to do? They can't beat him alone._ Colerya felt her muscles tighten. _I can't just let them get beaten.._

Mistoffelees wished Tumblebrutus could finally beat Macavity. They were slowly getting outnumbered. He felt Colerya stretching next to him. _God, I wish she's not too scared or anything._ Tumblebrutus was already exhausted. Colerya's breathing was getting short and superficial. Macavity had his same smug grin when he walked to Tumblebrutus, who was holding his stomach. Macavity raised his paw for the final slash. Then happened something unexpected.

Mistoffelees felt a small current of air wiping over him and he realised Colerya was no longer next to him. He gasped loudly.

"COLERYA! DON'T!"

Macavity turned his face to the source of the voice and was suprised by a black shadow with sharp claws.

* * *

Colerya felt the ginger cat fall beneath her. She slashed him on the face and chest and hopped over him. Macavity was quickly up again and watched Colerya a suprised expression on his face.

"Well, well.." he said, "I hadn't heard they had a new cat." His grin changed into a cruel grimace. "They won't be having long." He charged to Colerya and hit her in the chest. Colerya fell backwards and to the ground. She attacked to Macavitys feet.

The ginger cat fell to the ground and Colerya punched him hard in the face.

"Don't - you - ever - dare - to - attack - here - again", she said while hitting him. Suddenly she felt herself being thrown in the air and her head hitting something hard. She heard someone call her name before everything went black.

* * *

_Is she okay?_ Voices echoing in the darkness. An answer.

_Yes, she's quite badly bruised but I'd think she'll be up soon._

She tried to move her arm. An effect in the speakers.

_She's moving. Colerya? Are you awake?_

_Are you allright?_

She opened her eyes and the pain rolled over. Colerya gasped.

"So it does hurt. But it could be worse. Can you speak?"

Colerya opened her dry mouth.

"Y-yes." Her voice was hoarse. She suddenly recognized the two queens above her. The smiling faces of Jellylorum and Jennyanydots.

"It's already the second time when you're in my care in a short time. And this time you will certainly not leave until I say so", said Jenny. Colerya gave her a bitter smile.

"How.. how did it end?" she croaked with her hoarse voice. Jellylorum sighed and raised her eyebrows as she spoke:

"Macavity and his rats left the yard quite soon after you passed out. I think the wounds he got started finally take his strenght. Munkustrap, Alonzo, Tugger and Tumblebrutus are quite allright, or at least they say so." Jellylorum watched her with eyes full of caring. "Would you like to drink something?"

"Yes, please."

After a moment, the older queen returned with a small bowl filled with water. Colerya drank it gratefully, then Jellylorum pointed at Jennyanydots and asked:

"Hey, Jenny. Weren't you supposed to say something about that someone who visited here?" Jenny frowned a moment, trying to remember, and then her face brightened up and she bursted out speaking:

"Yes, indeed! There was this black stranger who passed by in here. He wanted to see you and we didn't like it because he was a complete stranger and you were badly injured but then he promised he wanted just see you so we let him. And he just, well, watched you a moment and then took off and said we should say regards from him to you." She stopped speaking and looked questioningly at Colerya:

"Do you know anyone like that?"

Coleya shook her head, althought she had a slight guess who this stranger could have been. She put the bowl next to her and closed her eyes again.

_Oh well, now that girl's asleep again!

* * *

_

"_Daddy!" screamed the black little kitten and stumbled forwards the handsome black tom. The tom lifted the kitten to his arms and nuzzled slightly the black-red queen next to him. "Daddy, where have you been?" asked the kitten. The tom smiled._

_"Nowhere. Isn't it more important I'm here now?" The kitten purred loudly to him. The red-black queen huddled closer the black tom._

_"I missed you, honey", she said._

_"Same here", answered the tom, and softly kissed the queen._

_The kitten made prostesting noise at the adult cats' smooching. They stopped and smiled at her._

_The family was again happily together.

* * *

_

"There's no way you're going to leave here again!" Jennyanydots screamed at Colerya when she tried to get up two days after Macavity's attack. Colerya sighed.

"Please, Jenny. This is important, really", she said with pleading eyes. The older tabby sighed.

"Well, what is it?"

"What?"

"I'm not letting you go unless you have a really good reason."

Colerya turned her back on Jennyanydots. Then she said quietly:

"You remember that black cat who was here when I was still unconcious?"

"Yes."

A short pause.

"I'm going to look for him."

Mistoffelees peeked over the top of the garbage piles. He was suprised to see Colerya clearing up her sleeping place, like she was leaving to somewhere.

"Are you going to somewhere?"

The queen startled at the voice. She looked at Mistoffelees and then quickly away from him.

"Yes.. I.. I have something to do. Important things", she said. Mistoffelees was stunned.

"What? I mean.. Where? Why?" his head was full of questions. Colerya looked at him, her eyes full of guilt.

"I.. When I was unconcious, there was this cat who visited me. I'm going to look for him."

Mistoffelees felt sudden coldness in his chest.

"Why?"

Colerya stared before her in glazed eyes.

"I.. No, it's too stupid."

"What?"

"I.. I think he might be.. my.. father", Colerya said like she would be ashamed of herself. Misoffelees couldn't encourage himself enough to look her in the eyes. His mouth felt dry.

"So.. when are you.. coming back?" he asked. He turned to look at Colerya.

"You _are_ coming back, right?"

The queen smiled warmly.

"Or course I am", she said and walked to Mistoffelees and hugged him.

"I'm glad you understand", she whispered. Then she suddenly let go of him and tunred around. She walked few metres away from him and then turned around again.

"Tell Munkustrap what I told you. You'll see me again in the next Jellicle Ball", she said, smiled for the last time and slid away from Mistoffelees' sight. He dashed forward to see the last glimpse of her, but she was gone already.

"I'll wait for you", he whispered.


End file.
